Ultrasonic Parts Cleaners in the Bike Workshop.

[JackRabbitSlims]

Instead of using a Solvent Tank, associated brushes, gloves and nasty chemicals - anyone out there had success in the Bike Workshop using Ultrasonic Parts Cleaners?

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Instead of using a Solvent Tank, associated brushes, gloves and nasty chemicals - anyone out there had success in the Bike Workshop using Ultrasonic Parts Cleaners?

Tell me more, hon, because I am not familiar. But I am curious.

Is this some kind of technology a home mechanic could even afford?

(I'm trying to stay away from the real hardcore chemicals, just wash my bikes with Palmolive these days.)

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Btw., my mom gave me some sort of an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner one year for xmas...

It did a whole lot of shaking around, but it never got the jewelry clean. (Even with the "super solution" added to it.)

So, take my experience as you will, I'm sure today's Ultrasonic works much better.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Ultrasonic cleaning is the rapid and complete removal of contaminants from objects by immersing them in a tank of liquid flooded with high frequency sounds waves. These non-audible sound waves create a scrubbing brush action within the fluid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasonic_cleaning

 

[King Boonen]

We use them in the lab and they're brilliant. An old PhD student managed to get one for free when they were closing down his building and I was very jealous!

 

[blutto]

....we had two in a bike shop I worked as a young tyke....they both worked quite well enough as adjuncts to a preliminary regular cleaning....oddly enough the home-made one worked much better....read, a concept well worth investigating if you have a lot of cleaning to do....

Cheers

...edit....really good for chains....

 

[veganrob]

I have two ultrasonic cleaners in the shop. The bigger one is used for cleaning the parts. Which yes, does a fantastic job. I also have a smaller one filled with chain lube which I put the chain and deraileurs in after they are clean and dry. Oh man does this ever do an awesome job of lubing.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Instead of using a Solvent Tank, associated brushes, gloves and nasty chemicals - anyone out there had success in the Bike Workshop using Ultrasonic Parts Cleaners?

I have one but if the stuff is really caked, it either takes multiple trips to really get it clean. I use a stiff brush, pan, simple green, hot water...then into the sonic. Water but parts in plastic bag with more simple green. Get one that heats also.

The idea of putting a clean, dry chain into one with chain lube...brilliant idea.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, they seem like a great alternative to the solvent tank we use.

Couple questions:-
How long, on average, does the cleaning process take? - I suppose this is dependent on the size of the article and how filthy it is.....
Are you using a special cleaning fluid? - If so, what is it? - I have read that just plain old warm / hot water can work OK
What brands are you using or familiar with?

@veganrob - what size is the larger cleaner that you have?

Thanks again.
Cheers.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Re:

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, they seem like a great alternative to the solvent tank we use.

Couple questions:-
How long, on average, does the cleaning process take? - I suppose this is dependent on the size of the article and how filthy it is.....
Are you using a special cleaning fluid? - If so, what is it? - I have read that just plain old warm / hot water can work OK
What brands are you using or familiar with?

@veganrob - what size is the larger cleaner that you have?

Thanks again.
Cheers.

About 5-6 minutes. I use water, then the part in a plastic bag with SimpleGreen/water mix..mostly SimpleGreen.

I have one of these. Everything fits but a big chainring.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pachmayr-Sonic-Parts-Cleaner-Parts-Cleaner-Ultrasonic-Gun-Parts-Cleaner-7631700-/311541505841?hash=item4889521f31:g:GdkAAOSwoydWtCMR

 

[Stingray34]

I know nosinks about ultrasonics, but can concur with BK that Simple Green is great stuff. In a bike shop one day, I saw the Rep drink it!

 

[Bustedknuckle]

I know nosinks about ultrasonics, but can concur with BK that Simple Green is great stuff. In a bike shop one day, I saw the Rep drink it!

Yikes..it is water based so leaving it on or something in it can rust the part. With a brush and hot water, cleans just about anything.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Yikes..it is water based so leaving it on or something in it can rust the part. With a brush and hot water, cleans just about anything.

What do you think of using a "mild" dish-washing liquid like Palmolive?

I'm not a pro mechanic, so I'll just get that out of the way...

I use an old dish brush (or tooth brush), dilute Palmolive with warm water, and just go to town on my chain and gears with aforementioned. Then I rinse with water, and then I take a whole bunch of old rags and dry off chain and parts as much as I can. (Naturally some lubing follows this once I can be reasonably sure all parts are dry.)

Seems to be working okay (no rusting), but like I said, I am not a pro mechanic.

PS - Sorry if I'm derailing thread, but don't have money for the Ultrasonic machine at the moment.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Btw., I actually get a sense of pleasure out of seeing all that gunk coming off and ending up on the brush once I clean the chain and gears...

We're all different, though, and I'm okay with that.

(I should have been a dental hygienist... that sounds like a job that would have been fun. But yet, getting all that gunk off the tooth I don't want to cause pain to the patient, nor damage to the tooth. It's a very delicate balance, indeed.)

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Yikes..it is water based so leaving it on or something in it can rust the part. With a brush and hot water, cleans just about anything.

What do you think of using a "mild" dish-washing liquid like Palmolive?

I'm not a pro mechanic, so I'll just get that out of the way...

I use an old dish brush (or tooth brush), dilute Palmolive with warm water, and just go to town on my chain and gears with aforementioned. Then I rinse with water, and then I take a whole bunch of old rags and dry off chain and parts as much as I can. (Naturally some lubing follows this once I can be reasonably sure all parts are dry.)

Seems to be working okay (no rusting), but like I said, I am not a pro mechanic.

PS - Sorry if I'm derailing thread, but don't have money for the Ultrasonic machine at the moment.

I think warm soapy water is fine for cleaning the bike down....rinse well and dry.

When it comes to the drive train, I'm a big fan off removing as much of it as I can from the bike (time dependent) and applying some form of degreaser (whether that be plant based or chemical based) to the parts, leaving it for a bit, then using a hard brush on it to clean it down, rinse well, use old rags to finish off, dry completely and then re-install.

Even when short on time, some degreaser on a rag can tidy up your chain, jockey wheels chain rings etc

For a clean Cassette, I like it off the free hub body and broken down as much as possible.

The bike-side of the chain rings can be a PIA - at least once a month I take the cranks off, and the chain rings to give it a solid clean.

I have known some Bike Mechanics to use diesel fuel as a degreaser, quite effectively too!

Tri Rider- if your current system works well for you, stick with it - "if it ain't broke" right??

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Yikes..it is water based so leaving it on or something in it can rust the part. With a brush and hot water, cleans just about anything.

What do you think of using a "mild" dish-washing liquid like Palmolive?

I'm not a pro mechanic, so I'll just get that out of the way...

I use an old dish brush (or tooth brush), dilute Palmolive with warm water, and just go to town on my chain and gears with aforementioned. Then I rinse with water, and then I take a whole bunch of old rags and dry off chain and parts as much as I can. (Naturally some lubing follows this once I can be reasonably sure all parts are dry.)

Seems to be working okay (no rusting), but like I said, I am not a pro mechanic.

PS - Sorry if I'm derailing thread, but don't have money for the Ultrasonic machine at the moment.

I think warm soapy water is fine for cleaning the bike down....rinse well and dry.

When it comes to the drive train, I'm a big fan off removing as much of it as I can from the bike (time dependent) and applying some form of degreaser (whether that be plant based or chemical based) to the parts, leaving it for a bit, then using a hard brush on it to clean it down, rinse well, use old rags to finish off, dry completely and then re-install.

Even when short on time, some degreaser on a rag can tidy up your chain, jockey wheels chain rings etc

For a clean Cassette, I like it off the free hub body and broken down as much as possible.

The bike-side of the chain rings can be a PIA - at least once a month I take the cranks off, and the chain rings to give it a solid clean.

I have known some Bike Mechanics to use diesel fuel as a degreaser, quite effectively too!

Tri Rider- if your current system works well for you, stick with it - "if it ain't broke" right??

I use Simple Green and a brush in hot water. Works great. I have used Diesel and a stencil brush, that works great as well and something a lot of wrenches in the 60s/70s used.

Like this guy from Sanson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxBTVU9JDrA

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Great Film that one.

 

[ray j willings]

I use carbon chainring's a YBAN SL chain so do not need to use any lube. Just use a baby wipe or 2 to clean dirt off and a few more to clean my whole bike. I use white lightening grease which is clear and eco friendly and very waterproof for parts that need greasing and you have no black grease marks anywhere on your bike .
No water touches my bikes except rain.
In the dry weather I don't have to touch my bike"its spotless" if it is a wet ride a 15 minute baby wipe down and all is good.
simple and effective and no need to purchase any type of special cleaning product.

That's the way

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

baby wipe

Never thought of doing that before, but baby wipes work just splendid!

Don't like making all that trash, though.